Choose the right online marketplace to launch your product in France

For many online sellers in the UK, other European countries are a key destination for successful international expansion. Germany and France are home to some of the world’s fastest growing, yet mature, ecommerce markets and are usually the most rewarding for first-time, cross-border sellers.

However, it’s unwise for international sellers to treat Europe as a single entity. Researching the ecommerce landscape in each European country and understanding their unique consumer habits is crucial – one of the key differences being that, in the UK, eBay and Amazon dominate the marketplace scene, whereas in Europe there are many more well-established and specialised marketplaces that are widely used by consumers.

These marketplace alternatives mean that an international seller hoping to increase brand awareness and the reach of their products in European markets could be missing a vital sales channel if they fail to research the significant local marketplaces available to them.

A well-planned multi-channel strategy will put your products in front of, not just more customers, but the most relevant customers. This means your conversion rates are likely to be higher on specialised marketplaces that attract a target audience for a certain type of product.
 
In France, alongside Amazon.fr, both Cdiscount.com and Fnac.com are among the leading distributors of cultural and electronic products. Cdiscount and Fnac invite international online sellers to use their marketplace platforms, and offer more product options to their growing consumer bases.

Fnac, in particular, is an established high street brand in France. It allows customers to collect their online purchases instore. The site receives more than 750,000 visitors every day, and sellers are able to list both used and new products. UK sellers were first given access to the Fnac.com marketplace in 2008.

Use an e-tailer Collection Account with Fnac.com

Currencies Direct help thousands of international sellers manage their foreign exchange needs when selling cross-border into France. Businesses selling on Fnac, Cdiscount and Amazon.fr can all benefit from opening an e-tailer Collection Account to receive payments from customers in euros – without the hassle and expense of opening an overseas bank account.

When you want to convert the euros into your home currency, you’ll also be able to achieve an exchange rate that will save you at least 2% of the total sales amount transferred, compared to the exchange rates offered by online marketplaces and high street banks for the same conversion.

Sellers already using a euro e-tailer Collection Account to collect sales on Amazon can upload these details to their Fnac and Cdiscount profiles and start receiving payments right away. If you don’t already have an account, or would like more information, please contact our Online Seller team by emailing etailers@currenciesdirect.com or calling +44 (0) 20 7847 9269.